1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tracking cargo and, more specifically, to continuously monitoring cargo as it is transported by various modes and handed-off through points in a global supply chain.
2. Background Art
Ever-increasing global trade underscores a modern global economy which depends on goods transported in a global supply chain. Generally, a global supply chain is a network of international suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and other entities that handle goods from their component parts to consumer consumption. For example, semiconductor testing equipment is exported from the United States to Taiwan, where semiconductors are processed and then sent to Malaysia for assembly into computers. Subsequently, the computers are shipped to warehouses in the United States, and ultimately, to consumer outlets for consumption.
However, nonuniform customs procedures and security standards at exporting country borders make importing countries susceptible to a lowest common denominator. Some export countries have less motivation and/or ability to police exported goods, and thus, perform little or no export inspections. Further, because the importing country only has physical jurisdiction at its borders, a Customs Agency has limited opportunity to enforce heightened inspections and security. A resulting tension arises between quickly inspecting all imports and thoroughly inspecting certain imports. Moreover, this tension is exacerbated by increasing national border threats, such as terrorist activities, that take advantage of disparate standards within cargo transport to illegally import unauthorized goods.
Even when the exporting and importing countries have similar standards, the lapse of security between countries provides ample opportunity for security breaches. During this unmonitored period, cargo that was secure at an export port can be compromised for illegal purposes. Furthermore, goods can be stolen during this period without being noticed until a full inventory is taken.
Within an internal supply chain, private companies seek to increase operational efficiency. For example, to avoid warehousing large stocks of goods, a distributor unit of a company may place orders at a manufacturing unit on an as needed basis. But to avoid inventory depletion, the distributor unit must have historical and current information about shipping duration and other supply chain metrics to ensure that goods arrive in a timely fashion.
Therefore, what is needed is a container tracking system that controls container security starting as early in the process as possible, and continuously monitors the container for security breaches during transport to ensure that the container remains secure through receipt. Moreover, the solution should report aggregated information concerning performance metrics within a supply chain.